Apparatus for aerial navigation.



G. MITCHELL. APPARATUS POR AERIAL NAVIGATION.

APPLICATION FILED APR; 28, 1910.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A l Z mfaw G. MITCHELL.

APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION.

APPLICATION FILED APB..2B, 1910.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I INVFNTOA o {framework 2 is located and suitably seleured to said planes. The framework 2 pro fjectfsforwardl from. the main planes 1 and tun ran STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

GEORGE MITCHELL, or LOS enemas, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

Application filed April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,180.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, GEoReE'MrrcHELL, of

Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Aerial Navigation; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

particularly to that class known in the art as aeroplanes.

One object of my present invention is to provide means whereby a machine of the type specified can be cause'd'to rise vertically -from the ground, or so thatsii; can be made to rise and simultaneously move forward.

A further object is to construct the machine in such manner as to provide a compartment for the "accommodation of the aviator and to locate inthis compartment the various devices bymeans of which the machine can be operated and controlled.

' is a front view of same.

- able for both horizontal ported,

A' further-object"is-tdlocate the weighty devices, such as' engines, that in case of acci'dent the -machine will descend without danger of turning over.

A further object is to'provide the machine with auxiliary propelling devices which can be thrown into operation in case of the breakage .of an actlve propeller.

With these objects in view the structioif and. combinations and arrangements of parts as 'Wlll be hereinafter more 'fully described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevationof an aeroplane of the bij plane type illustrating my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3

Fig. l is a deand motors,suittail view of shafting and vertical power plants.

The

3 central portion of and between the planes a 'gat-itsforwar end-carries a movable head planes 1 of the machine are supsuitable framework and at the elevating plane 3. Laterally movable guiding planes 8 may be provided in the rear .portion'of the framework-2. The said frame 2 also projects rearwardly from the main planes and carries a movable tail elevating plane 4. Planes 3 and are connected by steering wires 10 controlling stability when center of gravity is changed. The guiding planes are connected by a cross bar 8 and wires 8 are connected with these guidingplanes and controlled by a suitable wheel 8 in the space or compartment 5. I Four stabilizing planes-22 and 23 are located onextremities of main-planes 1 and connected by an adjusting cord passing over, steering wheel located in compartment 5 within reach of operator, same are pivoted to main frame and revolve in the are shown.

The space or compartment 5 formed by the intersection of the main planes with the frame 2 is intended for the accommodation f the aviator and for the reception of the operating and controlling mechanism of the machine. In the bottom of the compartment 5, a motor or' engine 6 is located connected by a vertical shaft 8 extending upward above said engine and downward below the same,-

said shaft being rovided at its respective ends with propel ers of the screw type as.

indicated at 1 1- and 12. Said shaft is suspended by bearin s 13 and 14 clamped to members of main frame 2 at points 15 shown in Fig. 4:. Instead of a single shaft 8, two

each provided at its free end with a propeller. In the front of compartment 5- another'engine 7 is suspended from a horizontal shaft 16said shaft passing through bearings 17 and 18, said bearings clamped telescoping shafts might be employed and invention consists certain novel features of conto members of main frame'2 at points 15,

Fig. 1, and this horizontal shaft imparts motion to propellers 19- 20. I prefer to em ploy the supplemental propellers 12 and 20 which may be conveniently connected with the shafts 816 through the medium ofsuitableclutches 21 which can be operated from "within the compartment 5. During thenormal operation of the machine the auxiliary propellers maybe allowed to remain idle and only brought into action in case one of the active propellers should break, or if desired, boththe active and the auxiliary propellers maybe operated simultaneously.

- Referring to Fig. 4-a bronze collar is by operating one or vertically disposed propellers 19-20. The machine couldbe operated to cause it to rise of turning over.

shrunk and ke ed on shafts 8- and 16 on which revolve roller bearings 26. Abronze bushing, 2'Z,'is pressed into bearing casting 17 and 18, being provided withdouble runway for roller thrust bearing 28.

Alighting device consists of wheels 29- frame 30 and springs By operating one or the other or both of the horizontally disposed propellers 11 -12, the machine will be cause to rise vertically from the ground and if desired it can be caused to travel forwardly at the same time the other or both of the and to move forwardlyif it were equipped with a single horizontal propeller 11 or 1'2 and a single vertical propeller 19 or 20.

By locating the engines and the weight of the aviator in the manner above explained, the machine would, in the case of accident be caused to properly descend without danger Having fully described my invention,

31 mounted on rod 32.

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is,--

An aeroplane comprising frame-work having a centralcompartment, propellers above and'below and in frontand in rear ofsaid compartment, means in said compartment for operating said propellers, 'mainpp1ane sections extending laterally in opposite di- ,rections fromthe upper and lower edges of said compartment, stabilizing planes at the outer ends of the main plane sections, connected head and tail planes, laterally, mov able guiding planes between said compartment and the tail plane,

ling the planes. A

In testimony whereof, I have-signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib and means operable 4 from said central compartment for control 

